Spa Business Tip: Decision Making As Easy As 10/10/10

Many years ago there was an article written by Martha Beck, the life coach who writes for Oprah magazine, that focused on how so many of us get stuck in making decisions. Decisions as simple as what to have for dinner, decide to take or leave a job, or more serious life altering decisions such as divorce. We literally make hundreds of decisions a day, some conscious and most unconscious. Choosing the right path or choice can be debilitating to some and yet easy for others. Martha Beck outlined a very simple solution to make any decision easy.

This formula is as much general life advice as it is a spa business tip. We think it is especially useful for spa owners and managers since our industry is incredibly dynamic and ever-changing. We don’t have a crystal ball to see the future and the ramifications of our choices, however, putting some parameters around how we come to our end points makes all the difference.

10/10/10 Rule:

Break down your decision into three time segments:

10 minutes, 10 months and 10 years.

It’s very simple. Let’s look at some examples.

Scenario 1:

You are thinking of adding an additional spa treatment room to your location. You have the space, money and resources to do this and you are at full utilization so it does make sense. The little voice in your head is asking “is it a good choice?”.

Think about how you will feel about going for it using the 10/10/10 rule. Immediately, you might be hesitant, in 10 months you will be thrilled with the additional revenue, and in 10 years, you might have to move because you have grown out of your facility.

Scenario 2:

There have been some unhappy employees and their morale is affecting the temperament of the business and clientele. You know that you need to hold a meeting but you are reluctant because they never go well, especially when you have to address a serious issue.

Here’s how to apply the 10/10/10 thinking. If you do nothing in the next 10 minutes things will remain the same, and if left alone in 10 months your business could really suffer and in 10 years you may be out of business. Use the 10/10/10 rule to shift your thinking about problem solving. Facing decisions head on and projecting the outcomes can make or break your choices. In this example, it’s best to have the staff meeting and tackle the employee morale head on.

There is no right or wrong way to apply the 10/10/10 rule. Try it with your decision making and see how it works for you.